Living in Shetland Islands
Police Scotland recorded 20 crimes per 1,000 residents in Shetland Islands in 2025–26, well below the Scottish average of 57. 22.7% of households rent from the council or a housing association, above the UK average of 17.5%. About 2.0% of homes are in areas where road or rail noise reaches 65 dB, against 6.9% across Great Britain. 18% of homes are within a five-minute walk of a public park (Great Britain: 56%).
Shetland Islands at a glance
| Measure | Shetland Islands | Comparison | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social housing (share of households) | 22.7% | UK 17.5% | 53rd highest of 374 |
| Recorded crime per 1,000 residents | 20 | Scotland 57 | 32nd highest of 32 in Scotland |
| Homes in areas with 65 dB+ road or rail noise | 2.0% | GB 6.9% | 8th quietest of 363 |
| Homes within 400 m of a public park | 18% | GB 56% | 355th of 363 |
| Homes within 400 m of a play space | 39% | GB 60% | |
| Median broadband speed available | 30 Mbit/s | Council median 1,000 Mbit/s |
How much crime is there in Shetland Islands?
Police Scotland recorded 470 crimes in Shetland Islands in 2025–26 — 20 per 1,000 residents, well below the Scottish average of 57 and the 32nd highest of 32 Scottish councils. The largest groups were non-sexual violence (30%), damage and reckless behaviour (21%) and drugs, weapons and other crimes against society (18%).
Scotland is not on data.police.uk, so these figures come from the Scottish Government's recorded crime statistics. Scotland counts and groups crimes differently, so they are compared only with other Scottish councils.
How much social housing is there in Shetland Islands?
Shetland Islands ranks 53rd of 374 UK local authorities by social-housing share. Of its 10,594 households, 2,406 are social homes (22.7%) — renting from the council or a housing association, according to the 2021–22 Census.
How does Shetland Islands compare with the UK average?
At +5.2 percentage points versus the UK average of 17.5%, Shetland Islands sits above the national level.
How noisy is Shetland Islands?
In Shetland Islands, about 2.0% of homes are in areas where modelled road or rail noise reaches 65 dB Lden or more — the level Defra and the WHO treat as high. The Great Britain average is 6.9%, and Shetland Islands is the 8th quietest of 363 councils mapped.
Estimated from the official strategic noise maps: the share of each census area at 65 dB or more, weighted by its households. See noisy roads and railways on the map →
How close are parks in Shetland Islands?
18% of homes in Shetland Islands are within 400 m — about a five-minute walk — of a public park or garden, and 39% are that close to a children's play space. Across Great Britain the figures are 56% and 60%, which puts Shetland Islands 355th of 363 councils for access to a park.
Straight-line distance from the centre of each census area to the edge of the nearest site in OS Open Greenspace, weighted by households. See parks and play spaces on the map →
Schools, prices and more in Shetland Islands
What the map's other datasets say about Shetland Islands.
Broadband
Median available download speed is about 30 Mbit/s — what can be ordered, not what residents have bought (Ofcom Connected Nations).
Explore Shetland Islands on the map
Areas with a similar share of social housing
Sources: 2021–22 Census (social housing); Scottish Government recorded crime, 2025–26 (crime); strategic noise maps, Round 4 (noise); OS Open Greenspace (parks) · Page updated 27 September 2026 · Download the data (CSV, all 374 councils).